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What are they?

Braxton Hicks are probably best described as ‘practice’ contractions as your body nears the end of your pregnancy. They’re your body’s way of ‘getting ready’ for you to have your baby!

What do they feel like?

Women generally describe these ‘practice contractions’ as a tightening of their uterus. You may liken them to relatively strong period pains or may even feel your bump go quite firm and hard to touch.

You may feel your uterine muscles first tighten at the top before the sensation moves downwards.

Are they painful?

The sudden nature of Braxton Hicks can mean they come quite unexpectedly and may take you by surprise!

They certainly did for me (and my class of 30 children!) when they made me grab my tummy and have a sharp intake of breath mid-maths lesson! I think the little tykes were expecting a bit of drama to unfold!

But actually, what I was experiencing were just Braxton Hicks and they had to wait another three weeks for the arrival of my litte boy.

What I felt was more of a tightening twinge of discomfort rather than feeling painful. My lower tummy became tight and was hard to the touch.

Why do they happen?

Put simply: your body is preparing to welcome your little one into the world!

When can I expect them?

Babycentre explain how you may feel Braxton Hicks contractions as early as 16 weeks, during your second trimester.

However, you are more likely to experience them in the third trimester of your pregnancy.

Throughout your pregnancy (from about 7 weeks) your uterus will have been contracting gently and it is likely you haven’t even noticed it! It’s only as the uterus grows bigger that you notice the tightening sensations.

How long do they last?

Every woman is different, but generally each tightening lasts around 30 seconds (sometimes as little as 15 seconds or as long as 2 minutes). Some women feel them a few times in an hour, whilst others are not even aware of them at all.

I personally only noticed them about two or three times within the last three weeks of my pregnancy.

The frequency of the tightenings is one way of distinguishing Braxton Hicks from labor contractions.

Whattoexpect.com points out that the strength and frequency of Braxton Hicks increases as the pregnancy progresses.

Does everyone experience them?

Not at all! As with all things ‘pregnancy,’ one woman’s experience may be very different to another’s!

Especially if you are expecting your first baby, you may not even be aware of Braxton Hicks. Second or third time mothers may be a little more sensitive to the sensations.

However, if you do experience them with a first pregnancy, it’s nothing to worry about!

Can anything trigger Braxton Hicks?

Generally speaking, these sensations are triggered by the natural progression of your pregnancy as you near labor.

However, it is possible that they might also be brought on by:

A full bladder.

Dehydration (I forced myself to carry a bottle of water everywhere I went during my pregnancy!)

Sexual intercourse.

If mother and/or baby are very active.

Are they anything to worry about?

Not at all. Braxton Hicks are a completely normal part of pregnancy.

However, as with anything regarding your pregnancy, if you have any concerns at all, don’t hesitate to contact your health professional.

When should I call my doctor?

Although Braxton Hicks are totally normal, there may be certain times when you should seek medical advice:

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